Veteran

What it is

Veteran is a 2015 crime action film directed by Ryoo Seung-wan. It begins when Seo Do-cheol, a veteran detective in a metropolitan investigation unit, is drawn by one case into pursuing Jo Tae-oh, the third-generation heir of a chaebol family. Hwang Jung-min plays Seo Do-cheol and Yoo Ah-in plays Jo Tae-oh, with Yoo Hae-jin as an executive at Jo's side and Oh Dal-su as the head of Seo's team. Ryoo has worked steadily in crime and action, with films such as The Unjust and The Berlin File.

Just the starting point

Seo is known as a detective whose methods are rough but who never lets a suspect go. When it emerges that a young heir to a powerful business family stands behind a case he stumbled into, the investigation becomes less about catching a culprit and more about fighting someone with real power. That is the setup; how the investigation gets blocked and breaks through is best followed while watching. It is less a whodunit than a film about how to bring someone down.

Two sharply drawn leads

The film draws its force from the vivid contrast between Seo and Jo. Seo is easygoing and rough around the edges but will not bend his principles, while Jo is portrayed as someone with everything who acts without restraint. One works up a sweat on foot; the other tries to bury problems with money and status. Because the contrast is so clear, viewers know who to root for without much explanation, and are pulled into the story all the more easily. That Seo is not a towering hero but a salaried detective doing his job makes him more relatable. He is shown worrying about his family and bickering with colleagues, so viewers feel him as someone close rather than a distant hero.

Ryoo Seung-wan's action

Ryoo's action is often noted for capturing the feel of bodies colliding. Here, many fights take place in tight spaces or crowded places, and rather than flashy technique, the film shows the process of taking hits and holding on in vivid detail. It also slips humour between action beats, alternating tension and release.

• Fight choreography that uses nearby objects and terrain
• A sense of impact from lingering on blows and endurance
• Brief laughs placed just before and after action
• Chase scenes that use roads and city streets

What the humour does

The subject is heavy, yet the film scatters laughs throughout. Silly banter among the detectives and Seo's cheeky way of talking release tension, which keeps the audience from tiring before the end. The humour does not make the story light; if anything, it makes the characters feel like ordinary people, so the weight of what they are up against feels greater. In particular, scenes where the team leader and fellow detectives back Seo up in their own ways leave the impression of a team moving together rather than a lone hero.

How it handles unequal power

Veteran can be read as a film that uses the language of entertainment to ask how ordinary people can stand up to someone who uses money and power to slip past the law. Rather than analysing the issue in depth, it focuses on turning the frustration and catharsis viewers feel into genre fun. A sequel with the same detective at its centre was released in 2024, turning Seo Do-cheol into the lead of a series.

What to watch for the first time

It is an entertainment film you can enjoy without knowing the plot in advance. Keeping a few things in mind makes its design easier to see. Since the process of catching the opponent is the heart of the story, it is more fun to notice what the detectives come up with each time the investigation stalls.

• The mood when Seo and Jo first meet
• How the detective team splits roles and plays off each other
• How the opponent's power gets in the way of the investigation
• How each action scene uses its space differently

Worth knowing before watching

There is plenty of violence and threatening behaviour, so check the age rating before watching. The characters and companies are fictional and do not portray any specific real person or business. The detectives' methods and use of force are also exaggerated for entertainment, so do not take them as a picture of real police work. Enjoy it as a satisfying genre film, while keeping it separate from real events.